Empire State Building or Top of the Rock?
Two Midtown decks, one skyline, and a decision that comes down to what you want in the frame. Here is how they compare on view, cost, queues and the best time to go.
The short answer
Choose Top of the Rock (from $42) if you want the Empire State Building in your photograph and the park on axis. Choose the Empire State Building (from $46) if you want the open-air terrace and the experience of standing on the building itself. For most first trips, Top of the Rock is the more complete picture; the Empire State is the more memorable place to be.
Checked 2 November 2026. Prices, opening hours and transport details were verified against official sources. Things change — confirm before you book. How we check.
The same skyline from opposite directions
Both decks sit within a 20-minute walk of each other in Midtown and charge similar prices. What separates them is the angle.
The 86th floor is an open-air terrace that circles the building, with Manhattan's grid laid out from the Hudson to the East River. The 102nd floor is a separate, glassed-in room reached by a second lift; it costs extra and adds 45–60 minutes.
Top of the Rock spreads across floors 67, 69 and 70 at Rockefeller Center. The top deck looks south directly at the Empire State Building, close enough to fill a phone frame. It is the view most New York skyline photographs are actually taken from.
View, cost and timing, side by side
Prices are adult “from” rates checked in November 2026 and rise at weekends, on holidays and for sunset slots.
| Empire State Building | Top of the Rock | |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | From $46 on the 86th floor; peak around $57 | From $42 timed admission; peak around $60 |
| What you see | Midtown, Central Park and both rivers — not the Empire State itself | The Empire State Building in the frame, Central Park and both rivers |
| The deck | Open-air terrace on 86; glassed-in 102nd floor add-on | Indoor and outdoor levels on 67, 69 and 70 |
| Best time | First hour after opening, or after 20:00 | 08:00 opening, or after 22:00 |
| Time needed | 1.5–2.5 hours; add 45–60 minutes for the 102nd | 1.5–2 hours across the three levels |
| Queues | Airport-style security; calmest in the first 30 minutes or after 20:00 | Bag scan; calmest at 08:00 or 22:00–23:00 |
| Choose it if | You want open air and the building itself | You want the classic photograph |
Which one fits your trip
The honest answer depends on what you would regret missing.
You want to be on the building
The 86th-floor terrace is the most atmospheric deck in the city: wind, open air and the grid below. Book the first hour after opening or after 20:00, and skip the 102nd floor unless you want the extra height rather than the atmosphere.
You want the photograph
From $42, the top deck frames the Empire State exactly as you have seen it on a thousand postcards, with Central Park running north. A late-afternoon slot that carries you into dusk is the one to book — and the reason this deck fills first.
You want both experiences
If the budget allows two decks, do the Empire State in daylight and Top of the Rock at sunset on different days. It is the only way to see the skyline from both sides, and the two tickets cost roughly $88 at the gate before peak pricing.
What each ticket costs — and how to book
Prices are dynamic: from $46 at the Empire State and from $42 at Top of the Rock on standard dates, with sunset slots and weekend dates higher. The 102nd floor, The Beam and SKYLIFT are paid extras rather than included upgrades.
Book direct with each operator. Both use timed entry and sunset slots sell out first. A CityPASS covers both decks among its ten options, but only makes sense with five attractions you genuinely want; run that maths on our pass comparison first.
Keep planning
The full guides to both decks, plus the wider comparison.
Empire State Building
Tickets, the 86th and 102nd floors, security rules and the right 34th Street entrance.
Top of the Rock
The three levels, The Beam and SKYLIFT add-ons, and the quietest hours.
Best observation deck in NYC
All five decks compared, with a verdict for each kind of trip.
Empire State vs Top of the Rock questions
Empire State Building or Top of the Rock — which is better?
They answer different questions. Top of the Rock puts the Empire State in your photograph; the Empire State gives you everything except the building itself, from an open-air terrace.
How much do the two decks cost?
Top of the Rock timed admission is from $42, and the Empire State's 86th floor is from $46, with peak dates around $57. Prices are dynamic, so sunset slots and weekends cost more.
Can I visit both decks in one day?
You can, but it is a long day. If you want both, do the Empire State in the morning and Top of the Rock in the late afternoon so the light changes between visits. Allow two hours at each.
Where is the Empire State Building in the Top of the Rock view?
Directly south. The 70th-floor deck looks down Fifth Avenue towards the Empire State, which is why the south side is the most crowded part of the roof at dusk.
Does CityPASS cover both decks?
Yes. The Empire State's 86th floor and Top of the Rock are both among the ten CityPASS options. Reservations are required at most sites — see our CityPASS guide for the break-even maths.